John McCain

For McCain's grandfather and father, see John S. McCain, Sr. and John S. McCain, Jr., respectively

John Sidney McCain III
United States Senator from Arizona
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 1987 Serving with Jon Kyl
Preceded by	Barry Goldwater
Succeeded by	Incumbent (2011)
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona's 1st district
In office January 3 1983 – January 3 1987
Preceded by	John Jacob Rhodes
Succeeded by	John Jacob Rhodes III
Personal details
Born	place of birth cubba (U.S. Territory)
Died	place of birth cubba (U.S. Territory)
Resting place	place of birth cubba (U.S. Territory)
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	(1) Carol Shepp, divorced; (2) Cindy Hensley McCain
Parent	place of birth cubba (U.S. Territory)
Alma mater	United States Naval Academy
Profession	Naval Aviator, Businessman

John Sidney McCain tom (born August 29, 1936 in Panama Canal Zone) is an American politician, war veteran, and currently the Republican Senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. He was a presidential candidate in the 2000 election, but was defeated by George W. Bush for the Republican nomination. On February 28, 2007, during a guest appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman, McCain said he would be seeking the Republican Presidential nomination in the 2008 election, which he formally announced on April 25, 2007.

Early life and military career

McCain was born in Panama in the then American-controlled Panama Canal Zone to Admiral John S. McCain, Jr. and Roberta (Wright) McCain. Although McCain was not born within a state of the United States, his US citizenship (and future eligibility to be elected to the presidency) was assured at birth both by jus sanguinis, since both of his parents were U.S. citizens, and jus soli, as the Canal Zone was at that time a United States possession. Both his father and grandfather were U.S. Navy admirals. His father commanded American forces in Vietnam while McCain was a prisoner of war. His grandfather John S. McCain, Sr. commanded naval aviation at the Battle of Okinawa in 1945. He attended Episcopal High School and graduated in 1954. Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, McCain then entered the United States Naval Academy. By his own admission, McCain was a rebellious midshipman and his career at the Naval Academy was lackluster. He had his share of run-ins with the faculty and leadership. Despite his difficulties, he has indicated in his autobiography that he never wavered in his desire to show his father and family that he was of the same mettle as his naval forbears. Dropping out was unthinkable and so he successfully completed his training and graduated from Annapolis in 1958. Upon his graduation McCain reported to train as a naval aviator at the Pensacola, Florida, and Corpus Christi, Texas. During a practice run in Corpus Christi, his aircraft crashed into Corpus Christi Bay, though he escaped without major injuries. Eventually he graduated and became a naval flight attack pilot.

In 1965, McCain married Carol Shepp, a model originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. McCain adopted his wife's two children Doug and Andy. He and Carol then had a daughter named Sidney. The couple were divorced on April 2, 1980.

Vietnam

File:Nixon greets POW McCain.jpg

President Richard Nixon greets the released John McCain.

McCain was again almost killed in action on July 29, 1967 while serving on the USS Forrestal, cruising off the coast of Vietnam. The crew was preparing to launch attacks when a Zuni rocket from an F-4 Phantom was accidentally fired across the carrier's deck. The rocket struck McCain's A-4E Skyhawk as the jet was preparing for launch. The impact ruptured the Skyhawk's fuel tank, which ignited the fuel and knocked two bombs loose. McCain escaped from his jet by climbing out of the cockpit, working himself to the nose of the jet, and jumping off its refueling probe onto the burning deck of the aircraft carrier. Ninety seconds after the impact, one of the bombs exploded underneath his airplane. McCain was struck in the legs and chest by shrapnel. The ensuing fire killed 132 sailors, injured 62 others, destroyed at least 20 aircraft, and took 24 hours to control. This incident, with flight deck video, is still used in US Navy Recruit Training damage control classes. A video of the incident has been made available by McCain's Presidential Exploratory Committee.

After the Forrestal incident, McCain joined the VA-163 Saints on board the short-staffed Oriskany. Before McCain's arrival, on October 26, 1966, a mishandled flare caused a deck fire, resulting in the deaths of 44 crew, including 24 pilots, and the Oriskany underwent significant repairs.

Prisoner of war

On October 26, 1967, McCain's A-4 Skyhawk was shot down by an anti-aircraft missile, landing in North Vietnam's Truc Bach Lake, near Hanoi. McCain broke both arms and a leg after ejecting from his plane. After he regained consciousness, a mob gathered around him, spat on him, kicked him and stripped him of his clothing. He was then tortured by soldiers from North Vietnam, who crushed his shoulder with the butt of a rifle and bayoneted him in his left foot and abdominal area. He was then transported to the infamous Hoa Lo Prison, also known as the Hanoi Hilton. There he shared a cell with Bud Day, a highly decorated POW who helped nurse McCain.

Once McCain arrived at the prison, he was placed in a cell and interrogated daily. When McCain refused to provide any information to his captors, he was beaten until he lost consciousness.

When The North Vietnamese government discovered his father was the Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Command, (CINCPAC), commander of all U.S. forces in Vietnam, he was offered a chance to return home early. McCain turned down the offer of repatriation due to his belief in the principle of "first in, first out": he would only accept the offer if every man taken in before him was released as well.

Interview with McCain on April 24, 1974, after his return home.

McCain signed an anti-American propaganda message as a result of vigorous torture methods, which to this day have left him incapable of raising his arms above his head. His captors tried to force him to sign a second statement, and this time he refused. He received two to three beatings per week because of his continued refusal.

McCain was held as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam for five and a half years, mostly in the Hanoi Hilton, and was finally released from captivity in 1973, having been a POW for almost an extra five years due to his earlier refusal to accept an out-of-sequence repatriation offer. McCain was reinstated to flight status and became Commanding Officer of the VA-174 Hellrazors, the East Coast A-7 Corsair II Navy training squadron.

In 1976 he became the Navy's liaison to the Senate. He retired from the Navy in 1981 as a captain. During his military career, he received a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, the Legion of Merit, the Purple Heart, and a Distinguished Flying Cross.

McCain is one of five veterans from the Vietnam War currently serving in the United States Senate; the others are Thomas Carper (D-DE), Chuck Hagel (R-NE), John Kerry (D-MA) and Jim Webb (D-VA).

A television film entitled Faith Of My Fathers, based on McCain's memoir of his experiences as a POW, aired on Memorial Day, 2005, on A&E.

Political career

House and Senate

Senator John Sidney McCain III

In 1980, McCain married Cindy Hensley and moved to Phoenix. There he went to work for her father's Anheuser-Busch beer distributorship, where he gained political support among the local business community. When John Jacob Rhodes, Jr., the longtime Republican congressman from Arizona's 1st congressional district, announced his retirement, McCain ran for the seat as a Republican in 1982 and won. In 1986, upon Republican Senator Barry Goldwater's retirement, McCain was elected to succeed him.

2000 presidential primary

See also: United States presidential primaries, 2000

In 1997, TIME named him as one of the "25 Most Influential People in America". His best-selling family memoir, Faith of My Fathers (1999), helped propel his presidential run. McCain skipped the Iowa caucus, focusing instead on the New Hampshire primary. In visits to towns he gave a ten-minute talk focused on campaign reform issues, then announced he would stay until he answered every question that everyone had. He made over 200 stops, talking in every town in New Hampshire in an example of "retail politics" that overcame Bush's famous name. He won by 49-30, and suddenly was the celebrity of the hour. Analysts predicted that a McCain victory in the crucial primary in South Carolina would give him unstoppable momentum. However, McCain lost South Carolina, allowing Bush to regain the momentum. Analysts attribute McCain's loss in South Carolina to Bush's mobilization of the state's evangelical voters. Each side made allegations of negative campaigning against the other. There was alleged to have been a push polling campaign by the Bush camp, in which telephone calls were made to conservative Republican voters in the so-called Deep South, allegedly to ask them whether they would support McCain if they knew he had an illegitimate interracial daughter with a black woman. McCain in fact has an adopted daughter from Bangladesh. Accounts of this are covered in the books Bush's Brain and Boy Genius. Additionally, conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh entered the fray supporting Bush.

In 2000 Nixon "Dirty Tricks" conspirator Donald H. Segretti served as co-chair of John McCain's campaign in Orange County, California.

File:McCain-Bush-050321.jpg

McCain and President Bush in Tucson, Arizona, March 21, 2005

McCain never completely recovered from his defeat in South Carolina, although he did recover partially by winning in Michigan and Arizona. However, he made serious mistakes that negated any momentum he may have regained with the Michigan victory. In Virginia, he began criticizing conservative Christian leaders Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell. McCain lost the Virginia primary and then, a week later, went on to lose 9 of the 13 primaries on Super Tuesday. His overall loss on that day has been attributed to his going "off message", ineffectively accusing Bush of being anti-Catholic in response to his visit to Bob Jones University and getting into a verbal battle with leaders of the Religious Right. McCain would go on to win a few more primaries (Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Vermont), but in a two-man contest he was unable to catch up.

2004 presidential election

See also: United States presidential election, 2004

McCain publicly praised President Bush during the 2004 U.S. presidential election. He often praised Bush's management since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. McCain's reputation as a moderate appealed to many voters who found President Bush too conservative, and in the 2000 elections, many thought of Bush as the more conservative candidate and McCain as the more moderate candidate. In fact, according to Voteview.com, McCain's voting record in the 109th Congress was the third most conservative among senators. However, his voting record during the 107th Congress, from January 2001 through November 2002, placed him as the 6th most liberal Republican senator, according to the same analysis at voteview.com.

McCain's colleague, and also the 2004 Democratic Presidential nominee, John Kerry of Massachusetts, reportedly asked McCain to be his running mate.

McCain accused the "Swift Boat" campaign against Kerry of being "dishonest and dishonorable."

2008 Presidential Bid

See also: John McCain presidential campaign, 2008 and United States presidential election, 2008

McCain announced he is seeking the 2008 Presidential nomination from the GOP on the February 28, 2007, telecast of the Late Show With David Letterman. On April 25, 2007, shortly after noon in Prescott Park on the waterfront of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, McCain officially started his 2008 presidential campaign. He then visited Manchester, New Hampshire, on the same day before starting a planned three day campaign rally in South Carolina, Iowa, Nevada, and Arizona.

John McCain officially announcing his 2008 run for President in Portsmouth, NH.

Should McCain win in 2008, he would be the oldest person to assume the Presidency in history at initial ascension to office, being 72 years old and surpassing Ronald Reagan, who was 69 years old at his inauguration following the 1980 election. He has dismissed concerns about his age and past health concerns (malignant melanoma in 2000), stating in 2005 that his health was "excellent." In the event of his victory in 2008, he would also become the first President of the United States to be born in a U.S. territory outside of the current 50 states.

McCain's oft-cited strengths as a presidential candidate in 2008 include national name recognition, sponsorship of major lobbying and campaign finance reform initiatives, leadership in exposing the Abramoff scandal, military service (including years as a tortured POW), competing in the 2000 presidential campaign (where he won the New Hampshire primary), extensive fund-raising abilities, strong advocacy for President Bush's re-election campaign in 2004, and nominee for Vice President. A Time Magazine poll dated January 2007 shows McCain trailing Hillary Clinton by 1%; results also indicate that more Americans are familiar with McCain than any of the other frontrunners, including Republican candidate and former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, and Democratic hopeful Senator Barack Obama. During the 2006 election cycle, McCain attended 346 events and raised more than $10.5 million on behalf of Republican candidates. He also donated nearly $1.5 million to federal, state and county parties.

In May 2006, McCain gave the commencement address at Jerry Falwell's Liberty University. During his 2000 presidential bid, McCain had called Falwell an "agent of intolerance." With significant coverage during the campaign, McCain said that he would never back down from his earlier statement. His later appearance at Liberty University prompted questions about the McCain-Falwell relationship and a possible presidential run in 2008. McCain backtracked and stated that Falwell was no longer as divisive and the two have discussed their shared values. McCain delivered a similar address at The New School commencement in Madison Square Garden. McCain was received by boos, jeers, and several students and professors turned their backs or waved fliers reading "McCain does not speak for me." McCain's speech mentioned his unwavering support for the Iraq War and focused on hearing opposing viewpoints, listening to each other, and the relevance of opposition in a democracy. At the recent inauguration of Alabama governor Bob Riley, McCain mentioned the incumbent as a possible running mate in the 2008 election.

He hired a board member of the Project for the New American Century, Randy Scheunemann, as his foreign-policy aide.

In April 2007, McCain delivered three policy speeches. These focused on Iraq, the U.S. Economy, and on Energy.

Sen. McCain's April 11 speech on Iraq was delivered to the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) Corps of Cadets after his return from Iraq. His speech centered on his support for a new strategy in Iraq and his opposition to Democratic efforts towards troop withdrawal.The U.S. Senator repeated his criticism of the Bush administration's handling of the Iraq War on April 29, 2007 in Elko, Nevada, and stated that Donald Rumsfeld will be remembered as one the worst defense secretaries in history.

Sen. McCain delivered an April 16 speech on the U.S. Economy to the Economic Club of Memphis. In his speech, McCain criticized wasteful spending and reiterated his promise to make any sponsors of pork or earmarks "famous" when he becomes President.

Sen. McCain delivered an April 23 speech on Energy policy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) at the Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center in Washington D.C. His speech connected energy independence with national security, climate change, and the environment. McCain proposed increasing ethanol imports, moving from exploration to production of plug-in electric vehicles, and better harnessing nuclear power much as Europe has managed to do.

McCain participated in the first 2008 Republican Presidential Candidates Debate on May 3, 2007, at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library along with the other Republican presidential contenders. The debate was sponsored by MSNBC, politico.com, The Reagan Library, and Nancy Reagan.

McCain's second-quarter 2007 fundraising totals were poor, with intake falling from $13.6 million in the first quarter to $11.2 million in the second, and expenses continuing such that only $2 million cash was on hand with about $1 million in debts. Both McCain supporters and political observers pointed to McCain's support for the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007, very unpopular among the Republican base electorate, as a primary cause of his fundraising problems. Large-scale campaign staff downsizing took place in early July, with 50 to 100 staffers let go and others taking pay cuts or switching to no pay. McCain's aides said the campaign was considering taking public matching funds, and would focus its efforts on the early primary and caucus states. McCain however said he was not considering dropping out of the race. Campaign shakeups reached the top level on July 10, 2007, when his campaign manager and campaign chief strategist both departed.

Since his drop in the polls, John McCain has taken his familiar position as an underdog. Senator McCain has returned to his "Straight Talk" rhetoric even though he no longer rides on his elaborate bus.

As of November 2007, McCain's support in most state-by-state polls for the 2008 Republican nomination has dropped below that of Rudy Giuliani, but has been near that of senator Fred Thompson and above former governor Mitt Romney. Specifically, Giuliani polls ahead of all other candidates in a majority of states including the delegate-rich states of California , New York and Florida. Thompson shows strength in southern states such as Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina (which is a key early state), Georgia, Tennessee (which he served as U.S. Senator) and Alabama (his birthplace). Romney shows strength in the key early states of Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada, and is also polling well in Michigan (which may be a key early state), Utah and Idaho. Support for McCain is strongest in his home state of Arizona.

Controversies

Keating Five

Main article: Keating Five

The Keating Five (or Keating Five Scandal) refers to a Congressional scandal related to the collapse of most of the Savings and Loan institutions in the United States in the late 1980s. Lincoln Savings and Loan was insolvent due to some bad loans. In order to regain solvency, Lincoln sold investment in a real estate venture as a FDIC insured savings account. This caught the eye of federal regulators who were looking to shut it down. It is alleged that Charles Keating contacted Senators to whom he made contributions. McCain was one of those five senators and he met at least twice in 1987 with Ed Gray, chairman of the Federal Home Loan Bank Board, seeking to prevent the government's seizure of Lincoln Savings and Loan Association, a subsidiary of Charles H. Keating's American Continental Corporation. Between 1982 and 1987, McCain received approximately $112,000 in political contributions from Keating and his associates. In addition, McCain's wife and her father had invested $359,100 in a Keating shopping center in April 1986, a year before McCain met with the regulators. McCain, his family and baby-sitter made at least nine trips at Keating's expense, sometimes aboard the American Continental jet. After learning Keating was in trouble over Lincoln, McCain paid for the air trips totaling $13,433.

Eventually the real estate venture failed, leaving many elderly broke. Federal regulators ultimately filed a $1.1 billion civil racketeering and fraud suit against Keating, accusing him of siphoning Lincoln's deposits to his family and into political campaigns. The five senators came under investigation for attempting to influence the regulators. In the end, none of the senators were convicted of any crime, but McCain did receive a rebuke from the Senate Ethics Committee for exercising poor judgment for intervening with the federal regulators on behalf of Keating. On his Keating Five experience, McCain said: "The appearance of it was wrong. It's a wrong appearance when a group of senators appear in a meeting with a group of regulators, because it conveys the impression of undue and improper influence. And it was the wrong thing to do."

Chelsea Clinton joke

In 1998, McCain was chastised for reportedly making an off-color joke at a Republican fundraiser about President Clinton's daughter, Chelsea, saying "Why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly? Because her father is Janet Reno." McCain later apologized to President Clinton and Clinton accepted his apology.

Use of offensive term

McCain openly used the term "gook", a racial slur, in reference to his captors during the Vietnam War. During the 2000 Presidential Campaign, he repeatedly refused to apologize for his continued use of the term, stating that he reserved its reference only to his captors. Late in the primary season, with growing criticism from the Asian American community in the politically important state of California, McCain reversed his position, and vowed to no longer use the term in public.

Claims about Iraq safety

On March 28, 2007, McCain claimed that "General Petraeus goes out [in Baghdad] almost every day in an unarmed humvee". On March 29, CNN's John Roberts revealed the results of his investigation into this claim, "I checked with General Petraeus’s people overnight and they said he never goes out in anything less than an up-armored humvee.” On the same day, McCain also claimed that "There are neighborhoods in Baghdad where you and I could walk through those neighborhoods, today... The US is beginning to succeed in Iraq." Barry McCaffrey, on the same day, issued a report saying, “... no Iraqi government official, coalition soldier, diplomat, reporter could walk the streets of Baghdad without heavily armed protection”.

On April 1, 2007, McCain and other lawmakers visited a Baghdad market and claimed that "things are better and there are encouraging signs". However, the visit was accompanied by enormous security measures, as McCain wore a bullet-proof vest, and was surrounded by more than 100 troops and escorted by attack helicopters. The day after McCain's visit, 21 workers and children from the market were murdered.

Song about bombing Iran

During a campaign appearance in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina on April 18, McCain was asked a question about possible military action against Iran. He responded by singing “Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran” to the melody of the Beach Boys' song Barbara Ann, reminiscent of a 1980 parody by Vince Vance & The Valiants. When later confronted about the matter, McCain stated, "My response is lighten up, and get a life." Asked whether the joke he made was insensitive, McCain retorted, "Insensitive to what? The Iranians?"

Joke about improvised explosive device (IED)

During a taping of The Daily Show on April 24, 2007, Jon Stewart asked McCain, "What do you want to start with, the bomb Iran song or the walk through the market in Baghdad?" McCain responded by saying,"I think maybe shopping in Baghdad...I had something picked out for you, too — a little IED to put on your desk." On April 25, 2007, representative John Murtha demanded an apology from McCain on the floor of the House, where Murtha said that to make jokes about bringing IEDs back for comedians was unconscionable when so many soldiers are dying from IEDs in Iraq. McCain responded by telling Murtha and other critics to "Lighten up and get a life."

Cursing at Senator John Cornyn

On May 18, 2007 McCain cursed at fellow Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas): According to a Washington Post blog, "During a meeting Thursday on immigration legislation, McCain and Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) got into a shouting match when Cornyn started voicing concerns about the number of judicial appeals that illegal immigrants could receive, according to multiple sources -- both Democrats and Republicans -- who heard firsthand accounts of the exchange from lawmakers who were in the room... '[Expletive] you! I know more about this than anyone else in the room.'" The comments occurred after Cornyn told McCain, "Wait a second here. I've been sitting in here for all of these negotiations and you just parachute in here on the last day. You're out of line."

Political positions

Main article: Political positions of John McCain

A lifelong Republican, McCain's American Conservative Union total rating is 82 percent with a 65 percent rating for 2006. However, McCain has supported some initiatives not agreed upon by his own party and has been called a "maverick" by certain members of the American media.

McCain's reputation as a maverick stems from his active sponsorship of gun control legislation, authorship of the McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance Reform Bill, support for legalizing the status of illegal aliens, his mixed record on environmental issues and affirmative action, and opposition to President Bush's $350 billion in tax breaks over 11 years, which are also known as the Bush tax cuts. McCain later switched on the issue by saying he favored the tax cuts.

McCain also has some traditionally Republican views that include: a strong pro-life voting record, a strong free trade voting record (including a 100% rating from the Cato Institute), wanting private social security accounts, being against socialized health care, supporting school vouchers, supporting the death penalty, supporting mandatory sentencing, and supporting welfare reform.

According to a review by Gun Owners of America (GOA), "in 2001, McCain went from being a supporter of anti-gun bills to being a lead sponsor." Further, McCain was a key sponsor of what GOA calls the "odious McCain-Feingold Incumbent Protection Act. This legislation, characterized by its proponents as campaign finance reform, severely limits the abilities of groups like GOA to inform the public about the gun rights voting records of politicians already in office. In many cases, it becomes illegal to even mention a politician's name in on-air advertising the month before an election."

McCain supports legalizing the status of illegal aliens already present in the United States and giving them an avenue toward citizenship. He has also frequently supported increases in guest worker visas and legal immigration. He was among the most prominent Senators pushing for these policies in the immigration debates of 2006 and 2007, and at one point was a cosponsor of one bill with Senator Edward Kennedy.

Appearances on radio, television and in movies

He made a cameo in the 2005 summer movie Wedding Crashers.

He has been a regular guest on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and is a good friend of the host Jon Stewart. In McCain's most recent appearance on the show, Stewart claimed that McCain had been a guest on the Daily Show more times than any other person (11 times according to McCain).

McCain hosted the October 12, 2002, episode of Saturday Night Live, making him the third U.S. Senator after Paul Simon and George McGovern, to host the show.

McCain is interviewed in the 2005 documentary Why We Fight by Eugene Jarecki.

McCain made a brief cameo on the television show 24.

He appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien in 2005 in a bit entitled Secrets.

A 2005 made-for-TV movie, Faith of My Fathers, was based on John McCain's memoirs of his experience in the Vietnam War.

He appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on the night of August 28, 2007.

Personal life

McCain lives with his wife Cindy Hensley McCain in Phoenix. She is the chair of the large Anheuser-Busch beer and liquor distributor Hensley & Company, founded by her father. In August 1994, Cindy McCain admitted that she had been addicted to painkillers and said that she hoped it would give other drug addicts courage in their struggles. Cindy suffered a stroke in April 2004 due to high blood pressure, but appears to have made a full recovery.

In 1979, McCain was living with his first wife Carol Shepp when he met Cindy. Her wealth and looks led to news reports that "Mr. McCain abandoned his wife, who had reared their three children while he was in a prison in Vietnam, and he then began his political career with the resources of his new wife's family." . He has since reconciled with his first wife and their children.

McCain has a history, beginning with his military career, of lucky charms and superstitions to gain fortune. While serving in Vietnam, he demanded that his parachute rigger clean his visor before each flight. On the 2000 campaign, he carried a lucky compass, feather, shoes, pen, penny and, at times, a rock. An incident when McCain misplaced his feather caused a brief panic in the campaign.

McCain has been treated for recurrent skin cancer, including melanoma, in 1993, 2000, and 2002.

He has seven children and four grandchildren. McCain adopted his first wife Carol's sons (Doug and Andy), and he and Carol had a daughter, (Sidney). He has three biological children with his wife Cindy — Meghan, John Sidney IV, and James; in addition, he and Cindy adopted a daughter, Bridget, from a Bangladeshi orphanage run by Mother Teresa. McCain's daughter Meghan recently graduated from Columbia University. His son John is currently enrolled in the U.S. Naval Academy, and his son James enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2006, and began recruit training in September 2006.

McCain was raised as an Episcopalian, but later began attending services at the North Phoenix Baptist Church. In September 2007, he identified himself as a Baptist.

Awards

• Awarded the Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Purple Heart, and Distinguished Flying Cross for distinguished military service
• On February 13, 2007, the World Leadership Forum presented Senator John McCain with the Policymaker of the Year Award, at a private ceremony in Washington. The World Leadership Forum’s annual ‘Policymaker of the Year’ Award is given to a living individual who has created, inspired or strongly influenced important policy or legislation. The nationality or domicile of candidates has no influence on the outcome; the sole criterion is the quality of leadership shown.
• On December 5, 2006, McCain was awarded the Henry M. Jackson Distinguished Service Award by the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs.
• On September 28, 2005, The Eisenhower Institute awarded him the Eisenhower Leadership Prize. The prize recognizes individuals whose lifetime accomplishments reflect Dwight D. Eisenhower’s legacy of integrity and leadership.
• In December 2004, McCain became an Honorary Patron of the University Philosophical Society at Trinity College Dublin.

Electoral history

Arizona's 1st congressional district, results 1982-1984

Year		Democrat	Votes	Pct		Republican	Votes	Pct		3rd Party	Party	Votes	Pct
1982		William E. Hegarty	41,261	31%		John McCain	89,116	66%		Richard K. Dodge	Libertarian	4,850	4%
1984		Harry W. Braun	45,609	22%		John McCain	162,418	78%

* Write-in notes: According to the Clerk's office, there were 106 write-in votes registered in 1986; 26 write-in votes in 1992; and 187 write-ins in 1998.

Works

• Hard Call: Great Decisions and the Extraordinary People Who Made Them
• Character Is Destiny: Inspiring Stories Every Young Person Should Know and Every Adult Should Remember by John McCain, Mark Salter (Random House, October 2005) ISBN 1-4000-6412-0
• Why Courage Matters: The Way to a Braver Life by John McCain, Mark Salter (Random House, April 2004) ISBN 1-4000-6030-3
• Odysseus in America by Jonathan Shay, Max Cleland, John S. McCain (Scribner, November 2002) ISBN 0-7432-1156-1
• Worth the Fighting for: A Memoir by John McCain, Mark Salter (Random House, September 2002) ISBN 0-375-50542-3
• Unfinished Business: Afghanistan, the Middle East and Beyond — Defusing the Dangers That Threaten America's Security by Harlan Ullman, John S. McCain (Citadel Press, June 2002) ISBN 0-8065-2431-6
• Faith of My Fathers by John McCain, Mark Salter (Random House, August 1999) ISBN 0-375-50191-6
• The Reminiscences of Admiral John S. McCain, Jr., U.S. Navy (retired) by John S. McCain (U.S. Naval Institute, 1999) ISBN B0006RY8ZK

Decorations

•   Silver Star
•   Legion of Merit
•   Bronze Star Medal
•   Purple Heart
•   Distinguished Flying Cross

See also

• International Republican Institute
• McCain Doctrine

References

• Michael Barone, et al. The Almanac of American Politics: 2006 (2005) pp 93–98

External links

• Genealogy of John McCain

Official sites

• Presidential Campaign Website
  • YouTube page
  • Facebook page
  • MySpace page
• United States Senate Office of John McCain
• Template:CongBio2

Grassroots supporters

• Blogs4McCain.com - Bloggers for McCain
• McCain Blogette - McCain's Daughter
• McCain Talk - Discussion Forums
• Hoosiers for McCain - Indiana Supporters

Documentaries, topic pages and databases

• Federal Election Commission — John S McCain (Senate) (President 2008) campaign finance reports and data
• On the Issues — John McCain issue positions and quotes
• OpenSecrets.org — Senate campaign contributions President 2008
• Template:VoteSmart
• NewsHour with Jim Lehrer - Vote 2008: John McCain
• New York Times — John McCain news stories and commentary
• Template:Dmoz

Media coverage

• "The Real John McCain," The Nation, December 12, 2005
• "Interview with Tavis Smiley," PBS.org, January 6, 2006
• "Views on Iraq Strategy," CBS News, January 12, 2007
• "The Case for McCain," National Review at JohnMcCain.com, March 9, 2007
• "McCain v. Reid," Time, April 20, 2007
• "It's A Matter Of Honor," The Philadelphia Inquirer, April 20, 2007
• "Be Afraid of President McCain," Reason Magazine, April 2007
• "An Enduring Peace Built on Freedom: Securing America's Future" by John McCain Foreign Affairs